Constant-level lubricator.



E. E. HANS.

CONSTANT LEVEL LUBRIUATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1910.

1,105,773. Patented Aug.4, 1914.

IHE NQRRISPETERS CO.. PHDTO-LITHCL. WASHINGTON, D. C.

- tems, Splash.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND E. HANS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CONSTANT-LEVEL LUBRICATOR.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND E. HANS, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Constant-Level Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to attachments for the oiling system of a gas engine and is particularly adapted for engines used on motor vehicles, the primary object being to provide means whereby the driver of the vehicle can lmaintain the desired level of oil in the crank case under the varying conditions arising from the speed -of the engine and the character of the roads over which the vehicle is moving.

The invention consists generally in means in connection with the engine crank case for maintaining a desired level of oil in the case.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gas engine with my invention applied thereto, a portion of the wall being broken away showing the crank case and the oil reservoir, Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the mechanism for controlling the oil overflow, Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the preferred construction of the overflow device.

In the drawing, 2 represents a gas engine having an oil reservoir 3 and crank cases 4 i the oil in the bottoni of and 5 to which the oil is returned from the reservoir by a pump device 6. Any other suitable means may be employed for this purpose.

7 is a crank shaft arranged to pass through the case, as usual in the splash system of lubrication.

It is often difficult to maintain the desired level of oil in the crank case, particularly when the car is running over uneven or hilly roads, the oil flowing from side to side or from end to end of the case resulting in too great a su ply at one point and too little at another. (generally the driver of the car has very little control over the oil supply or at least the method of regulation is slow and uncertain. To obviate this objection and provide means by which the driver of the car can have quick control over the oil supply, I provide an overiow pipe 8 in the bottom of the crank case tting within a bushing 9 and provided with a hub 10 which i is slidable in said bushing and normally held in its depressed position by a spring 11. Vertlcal movement of the pipe 8 will be Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 13, 1910.

Serial No. 555,217.

against the tension of the spring, the bushing being preferably exteriorly threadedto fit a threaded hole in the bottom of the casing. The open upper end of the pipe 8' projects into the oil in the casing and maintains a certainlevel therein dependent upon the position of the pipe. That is, when the pipe is lowered the oil will flow into the open upper end thereof down into the reservoir beneath until the level of the oil reaches the top of the pipe. On the other hand, if the pipe is raised, the oil will accumulate in the crank case and none will be returned to the reservoir until the level of the pipe is reached. In this way the driver of the car will have perfect control over the supply of oil in the case.

Each crank case is equipped with its overiiow pipe and to operate them I provide a lever 12 pivotally connected with the lower end of the pipe and supported Vat a point intermediate to its ends by a pivot '13 on an arm 14. A rod l5 is connected with one end of the lever 12 and passes up through a box 16 having a cap 17. Bell cranks 18 and 19 are pivoted on the outside of the crank casing and connected with one another by a link 20 and simultaneously operated by means of a link 21 which extends to an arm 22 pivoted at 23 on a quadrant 24.' The arm 22 is movable over a scale 25 and is locked by means of a thumb nut 26 and a bolt 27 that is movable in a slot 28. By the adjustment of the arm 22 the driver can easily and quickly control the vertical movement `of the overflow pipes and the level of the oil in the crank cases. The operating mechanism for these overflow pipes may be modified in various ways and I do not wish to be confined to the particular construction herein shown, my invention relating to a means whereby the operator may have perfect control over the level of oil in the crank case of the engine.

It will be noted that the rod 15 in each overiiow device is capable of adjustment so that as the forward portion of the machine sags down, as it frequently does after the car has been in use, the overflow devices can be adjusted independently of one another to adapt them to the variation in level of the crank cases. When sagging of the car occurs, the forward crank cases will, of

elimina? Patented Aug. 4C, 19111.4 v

course, collect the greater portion of the oil 11o while those in the rear will often have an insufficient quantity for proper lubrication.

'for regulating said overflow device to maintain a predetermined level of oil in the crank case.

'2. In a crank case, a reservoir, and means for returningoil from said reservoir to the crank case, an overflow pipe communicating with lsaid Vreservoir and crank case, and mechanism operable externally of the crank case for adjusting said overiiow pipe to maintain a predetermined level of oil in the crank case.

3. In a crank case, an oil reservoir, and means for returning oil to the crank case from said reservoir, an overflow pipe slidably mounted in said crank case and having openings therein, and means operable externally of the crank case for adjusting said pipe to raise or lower the level of oil in said case.

4. In a crank case, a reservoir, a pipe slidably mounted and having its receiving end projecting into said crank case and its opposite end depending within said reservoir, means for normally holding said pipe in its depressed position and permitting it to be pushed upwardly to elevate its opening above the level of the oil in the crank case, and means for raising 0r lowering said pipe.

5. `In a crank case, an oil reservoir, a bushing fitting within an opening in the bottom of said crank case, a slidable overflow pipe, a hub secured to said pipe and slidable in said bushing, a spring interposedv between the upper end of said bushing and said hub, and mechanism for adjusting said pipe vertically.

6. In a crank case, an oil reservoir, an overflow pipe interposed between them and having its receiving end proj ecting into said cra-nk case and its discharge end extending in to said reservoir, a lever connected with said pipe, an indicating device, and mechamsm operatively connecting said indicating device with said lever.

7 A series of crank cases, an oil reservoir therefor and means for returning oil from sald reservoir to the several crank cases, a

lseveral crank cases in combination with a series of over-flow devices provided 1n connection Wtih said crank cases and means within control of the operator for adjusting said over-flow devices independently of one another to compensate for variation in the level of said crank cases.

9. In a crank case, an oil reservoir, and means for delivering oil from said reservoir to the crank case, a sliding over-flow device in connection with said crank case, and mechanism operable externally of the crank case for adjusting said overflow device to compensate for variation in the level of the crank case.

10. In a crank case, an oil reservoir having means for returning oil to the crank case, an overflow pipe, means yieldingly operable externally of the crank case for raising said pipe to regulate the overflow from said crank case.

1l. In a crank case, an oil reservoir, a pump for returning oil from said reservoir to the crank case, an overflow device communicating with the reservoir and crank case, and means operable externally of the crank case for regulating said overow device to maintain a predetermined level of oil in the crank case.-

12. In a crank case, an oil reservoir and means for delivering oil from said reservoir to the crank case, an overflow device in connection with said crank case, means for adjusting said overflow device to compensate for variation in the level of the crank case, said means including an indicating arm and scale and means for locking said arm against predetermined movement.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my'hand this 11th day of April, 1910.

EDMUND n. HANS.

lVitnesses J. A. BYRNES, L. C. CRONEN.

Copies oi' this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oi' Patents,

Washington, D. C. Y

holding it in a depressed position and means. I 

